Driver schedule confirmed ahead of start of winter testing

As Formula One returns for winter testing tomorrow in Barcelona, we give the lowdown on all the team's driver line-ups for the first three days of testing.

For the first day of testing the teams are splitting the way they run their cars, with five teams opting to give one of their drivers the whole day and the other five are splitting the duties between both drivers.

Ferrari, AlphaTauri, McLaren, Haas and Red Bull have opted to give Sebastian Vettel, Daniil Kyvat, Carlos Sainz, Kevin Magnussen, and Max Verstappen the whole day in the car.

However, Alfa Romeo will be handing the new C39 over to reserve driver Robert Kubica tomorrow morning, then to regular race driver Antonio Giovinazzi in the afternoon after Kimi Raikonnen shook down the car in Fiorano last week.

World champions Mercedes are sharing first-day testing duties between both their drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Valterri Bottas, while Renault are doing the same with new recruit Esteban Ocon and Daniel Ricciardo, along with Racing Point with Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll and Williams with George Russell and rookie Nicholas Latifi.

For the rest of the week, Alfa Romeo will resort to their usual drivers with Raikonnen taking the car on Thursday and Giovinazzi having the C39 on Friday. Alex Albon will get his first taste of the RB16 on Thursday before sharing duties with Max Verstappen on Friday. Renault will split between both drivers for the whole week, while Russell gets the whole of Thursday to test the FW43, with Nicolas Latifi taking the reins for Friday.

Alpha Tauri will give Pierre Gasly the AT01 for Thursday before splitting the duties with Kyvat on Friday, with Haas giving Romain Grosjean Thursday to get to grips with their new machinery, before sharing duties with Magnussen on Friday. 

Lando Norris will have the whole of Thursday and Friday morning to test the MCL35, handing over to Carlos Sainz in the afternoon. Racing Point will give Perez and Stroll a whole day each with the Mexican taking Thursday and the Canadian on duty on Friday.

Charles Leclerc will occupy the SF1000 on Thursday morning, then handing the car over to Vettel for the afternoon session, before taking the reins for the whole of Friday, while Mercedes are the only team yet to confirm their whole week's testing schedule.